


Moving On

by panthershabit



Category: Fantastic Four, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Crying, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Inspired by a Trailer, M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Post-Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 07:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18733981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panthershabit/pseuds/panthershabit
Summary: When Peter catches a glimpse of Tony's old building being rebuilt, it gets too much for him.





	Moving On

Peter kneels on a building rooftop in New York, eyes tightening from how much he wants to hold back the tears. He spends most days putting on a facade of his happiness to be back but with Tony gone it almost feels impossible. Johnny continuously asks how Peter is doing and even though the brown-haired boy offers a faux smile and assurance he is okay, he's not. And Peter is unsure if he ever will be. Staring at the recently-painted wall depicting Tony in his Iron Man armor with glossy eyes, Peter pushes out a small curl of his mouth to form a smile in memory of how much a hero Tony is to everyone, himself included. 

It's night time so of course, the chill is harsh to Peter but the boy's too upset to care. Coming here every night makes things more peaceful for Peter when he sleeps. Not easier, but peaceful. It hurts even more now because the boy from Queens crouches while wearing the Iron Spider suit Tony gives him during the first battle against Thanos. A subway passes by, Peter can hear it but doesn't lose focus of the painting of Tony. His lip stays firm in place, progress from when his lip would quiver even mentioning Tony or seeing a picture of him. Everywhere Peter goes, Tony's face follows and it literally feels like he is being haunted.

The teenager ponders on the memories of his mentor and him - between teaming up to save lives multiple times to even the simpler moments such as silly poses for photos. Usually, it is agonizing to remind himself of what can never happen again but this time it actually makes him feel better. Despite everything that happens after Tony snaps his fingers, for the first time in what seems like forever, Peter feels easier about the fact that he can say he remembers Tony Stark not because he was Iron Man, but because they were friends. A father-son relationship, even. It can never return, but it does not mean it never happened.

After a few minutes, Peter's eyes break from the painting and he looks over to New York. With Iron Man and Captain America gone, it's up to him to be the savior of New York. Well, not just him, but right now he's one of a few known heroes in the city. Perhaps there are more, he hears of other enhanced humans in somewhere called 'Hell's Kitchen' but Aunt May prohibits him from going there, especially now that she knows he's Spider-Man. She claims other people are already protecting the place and that there are more guns than there are criminals so he is not to go there.

In his sights, he catches what  _was_  the old Avengers Tower, before that it reigned under the Stark Industries building. Its development has been going on for a while but Peter never really looks at it until now. Seeing one of the last original memories of Tony literally being replaced brings angst to Peter's chest, knowing it'll never be the same after they finish construction. No Stark Industries sign, no nothing. Peter hates looking at the building now because it ruins his progress of moving on but he cannot moves his lingering eyes from it. It's almost as if it has him trapped in a circle of grief and sadness.

A while ago, Peter hears of the buyers called Oscorp. Now he looks at the same building and spots a sign, non-luminous but it's the distinctive shade of silvery-gray that makes it easy to find it. The unique patterns embroidered into the steel halfway down the tower's body, like honeycombs, also makes the building much more different and its shape finishes the unrecognizable touch to its design. He knows its the old building Tony owned, but now there's no sign of Tony whatsoever. Once Peter thinks on it, it begins to get too much for him and he feels his emotions running wild, uncaged.

That's when a beam of fierce orange glows behind him and it fails to break his vision of the Oscorp Tower but does garner his attention. He knows exactly what, no, _who_ it is and he should feel less lonely. Maybe he does yet he does not know it. But right now, he feels the same and he also feels like shit that Johnny isn't making him feel any different in his mind. Once the glow of orange pans out, he hears light footsteps approaching him and slowly cocks his head to face his boyfriend. The boy knows he doesn't owe the world anything right now, but he at least owes Johnny his attention, especially after how much the older boy tries to comfort him.

"Hey, Pete."

On other days, Johnny calls Peter 'Spidey', 'Webby', 'Dominoes' - a joke Tony tells Johnny when Peter introduces Johnny to Tony and they both tag team to mock Peter's original Spider-Man suit. But now it only feels right to be sensitive, something not new to Johnny but something he knows is appropriate for now. He notices Peter's small, sheepish smile and sighs, sitting on the gravel of the roof next to his boyfriend.

"Thought I'd catch you up here. You've been coming here since... _you know_."

Peter returns his eyes to the building. It's not in a spiteful manner, it just pains to remember the first time he visits the wall featuring Tony. Johnny recognizes that and moves closer to Peter, gently putting a hand on his back.

"How long have you been crouching like that? Come on, let your legs rest," Johnny insists, slowly leading Peter into the same sitting position as he is and he also pulls them away from the ledge with there backs against another wall behind them, close already. He knows Peter isn't contemplating suicide but it puts his mind to rest being away from the edge of the building, even though their feet just fall under the end of the rooftop. "I know you said you were okay, and I wanted to give you space, but I can tell you're not okay. Do you wanna talk about it?"

At first, Peter stares blankly at the Oscorp logo and feels his lips tremble. He does, he really does, but he knows how painful it will be to hear himself say 'he's gone'. However, then he realizes that nothing can hurt more than how he feels now so maybe there's no other choice but to do it. Slowly nodding, Johnny shuffles so there's no space by their sides and looks at the same thing Peter gazes at.

"Th-The building...it's not even To-T... _his_  anymore."

Frowning, Johnny understands the boy's grief. Though the media continues to remember Tony for being Iron Man, this building was where Tony Stark built something as Tony Stark and now it looks completely different. All Johnny can do is wrap an arm over Peter's shoulder and add some warmth to the nanotechnology Peter wore over his body without using his famous line.

"I know, Peter."

It's only after those words that Peter gives up the war against his tears and releases them violently. Clinging onto Johnny, his eyes shut away from the Oscorp Tower in hopes to forget what he sees but it does not work. He shakes with emotion, his face burying deeper into Johnny's chest and his hair is now messy. Through grit teeth, he barely manages to breathe as Johnny watches him let it all out and wants to cry for the boy. He too knows what it's like to lose a father figure, and only imagines how bad it must be for Peter to go through that  _twice_.

At first, Johnny's mouth opens to say it'll get easier. But he frets on the thought if it doesn't and he cannot lie and assure Peter everything will be okay. He can only comfort Peter right now.

"Tony's gone-and-and I don't know w-what to do!" 

The Human Torch remains silent, allowing Peter to let it out while he comforts Peter by gently stroking his thumb over Peter's face. After a minute, the sobbing eases up though still painful for his chest, throat, and eyes, and Johnny finally speaks.

"I know what Tony would want you to do. He'd want you to live your life, the one he gave so you could live. I know it's hard, Peter, god knows I crashed  _so_  many cars and burned  _so_  many things trying to forget about my father. But you know what? You don't have to forget about Tony to move on. When you stop some asshole running with a gun in the street, think of Tony and how proud he'd be. When you save the world from destruction, remember how Tony trusted you to do so by giving you your suit. Wear your Iron armor like he did, making him proud and showing the world Tony Stark still helps the world today by giving them a new hero."

Listening to Johnny, Peter feels touched by Johnny's words and his breaths become more relaxed. Keeping mute, Peter opens his eyes and wipes them, something Johnny also helps him with.

"Peter, whenever you need me to be here for you, I will be. Don't bottle everything up like this, okay? We can visit this rooftop as many times as you want."

Sniffling, Peter remains in Johnny's hold, wrapped tightly under Johnny's arms with his head resting against the boy's chest as he looks at the Oscorp Tower. Finally, everything hurts less.

"Thank you, Johnny, really."

Johnny smiles and looks on at the Oscorp Tower with Peter, they both smile together. Though Peter's is through a tear-ridden face, they share the same smile.

"Anytime, Dominoes," Johnny whispers softly.

Peter giggles and Johnny chuckles. Soon, it becomes laughter for Peter and Johnny follows, their laughs matching the height of noise belonging to another subway not too far away. Thinking about where he is now, Peter feels much better with Johnny being there for him. They stay on the rooftop for another handful of minutes, wiping away Peter's tears and smiling. And then, for once, something else burns in Peter's mind.

"Wait,  _how_  many cars did you crash?"

Johnny grins and rolls his eyes with shame, but if it takes Peter's mind off everything, he can afford to embarrass himself.


End file.
